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    National Christmas Tree

    3.3 (77 reviews)

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    Florida tree
    John C.

    A fun place to walk around if you are here for Christmas . Like the rotunda with each state sending a statue this is trees representing each state and territory. You can also buy your "official" White House decoration.

    From the street directly across from the tree
    Elizabeth M.

    We decided to drive up the DC to see the tree and Christmas lights, which would allow us to get out of the house--but safely! The location pin we used on Google Maps worked perfectly, so we were able to get right to the area where the tree is located. (Note that the streets immediately next to the tree are closed, so if you are planning to look from your car, it will be from about a block or so away.) The parking around the area was pretty packed, although it didn't seem like there were crowds by the tree from what we could see. Use caution if you are planning to park or drive, since some people spot a space and hit their brakes quickly! The tree itself seem to be pretty, but not stunning. There were smaller decorated trees around it. The lights/trees on the surrounding federal buildings were also pretty. As of December 2020, many businesses are still boarded up and there's giant fencing in much of the area around the White House, especially the Black Lives Matter Plaza. However, we still enjoyed the drive and seeing the tree.

    Pam D.

    This year marks our country's 100th National Christmas Tree in D.C. The National Tree is surrounded by smaller trees representing the U.S. states and territories to what's referred to as the Pathway to Peace. And these smaller trees are decorated by schools from each locality. It was fun looking for trees of states where my son and I have lived. I also took a picture of the D.C. tree, because we're here so often it feels like home. If you get the opportunity, it's worth a trip to President's Park to visit this unique collection of Christmas trees. Kudos to beautiful traditions!

    Becca M.

    Definitely would recommend coming here at night, it's so worth it to see the tree lit up. Walking around to all the different trees is really fun. Plus it's really fun to walk around the monuments at night. Lost my friend at the lincoln memorial otw here while my phone was dead, it's ok he was recovered. Sorry for the terrible picture, it's the best I could do.

    Wendy A.

    We were walking by and saw this cute Christmas trees. Sooooo pretty. They had one for every single state. With holiday music in the background I think this is such a wonderful idea and specially because it was in an open area. By the way, this is a free attraction.

    Jason J.

    It always seemed bigger on TV. It's always neat (Yes I said "neat". Used the word in a conversation with a high up government official yesterday and it's been bothering me ever since.) to walk over and see the National Christmas Tree. I'm a little disappointed by the tree itself in the daytime, as the lights are just draped over the top of it in kind of a sheet l guess, but at night it looks nice. But the daytime is still the best time to go. Much less crowded, but also you can see the decorations on the other trees. I don't have the exact details but from what I know, every year a group/school from each state and territory sends decorations to DC for one of the surrounding trees. Definately the best time to see these is during the day. I also recommend the tree lighting ceremony. I went my first few years but haven't for the last few. It's definitely worth doing at least once though! You'll need to get tickets in advance though . . . . and the line will be long once you get there so arrive early. You'll get the see the President and their family (I'll let you choose if you'd rather see this one or wait for the next.) the Marine Corps Band and few singers. The group of singers usually consist of one who's very famous, a couple others you've kind of heard of, then a few who were like seventh runner up on American Idol a few years back or of similar distinction. But over all it is most definitely "neat".

    Melissa N.

    Its nice, not spectacular, but its visually pleasant and it's a free activity to do. There is a tree for each state and territory around the National Tree. These smaller trees have been decorated with ornaments prepared by students from those states/territory. The tree itself is pretty, but I kind of expected something more extravagant. Oh well, 3 stars.

    Laura W.

    Being that the holidays are extremely scaled back this year, I thought I would take my son to see the National Christmas tree. I've seen it before so I already knew that is was mostly hype, but I thought he'd think it was cool. I was wrong-he kept saying "moving ,moving" anytime I tried to stop his stroller to look at the tree or one of the surrounding mini trees representing the states and territories. They have music playing to bring about the holiday spirit. They also have directional signage (one way in/one way out). This is convenient to see due to the proximity to several other DC highlights, but if you're visiting and you don't have time to stop by you are not missing much.

    Tree covered with net of lights
    Bill P.

    I was somewhat disappointed. The tree is decorated with just lights and has a lighted star at the top. Before dark it appears that a cone shaped net was dropped over the tree. The lights are attached to the net. After dark the net is not so visible, and the lights appear to be attached to the tree. The White House has become such a fortress that there is not a clear view of it beyond the tree. There is a walkway with smaller trees representing each state and territory. These trees are decorated with lights and ornaments that are flat circular disks. The disks have art on them. Students from schools in the state decorate the disks. The signs by the trees identify the students' school. Unfortunately, you can not get close enough to see the art clearly, at least after sunset. The location and symbology are good but the exhibit itself was not that exciting.

    At day
    Christina R.

    Hmmmm... I was expecting more to be honest. I guess I was expecting this grand amazing tree and it turned out to be a little lackluster. I visited both during the day and the night. When I came during the day it wasn't done yet even though the lighting was 2 days before. It's a nice thing to visit and to bring your kids and maybe even a date but please don't expect to be super impressed.

    Music upon arrival
    Maria C.

    The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony took place this year on December 1st and I was one of the lucky hundreds of people to secure free tickets that are distributed each year through an online lottery. The lottery is now closed, of course. But in or around October the lottery opens up for all to enter. During the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, nationally known entertainers and a military band performed and this year and our 44th President, President Obama greeted the audience and lit the Christmas Tree. His family (minus Malia) was by his side as well - super fantastic!! This year the hostess was Eva Longoria. See the lighting here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3992890/Eva-Longoria-dons-winter-white-coat-host-National-Christmas-Tree-lighting-ceremony.html Some of the entertainers this year included: Chance the Rapper, Kelly Clarkson, Yolanda Adams, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and a few others. Alongside the performers, there were several other performers that performed throughout the venue and as we walked up to the entrance. Christmas carolers ... it was just an awesome good time! Even though I saw this event live and in person on the day it was revealed, you can visit The National Christmas Tree and the Pathway of Peace from now until January 1, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for FREE!! You will also experience: a Yule log, a large-scale model train and a Christmas manger. Musical performances by volunteer choirs, bands and dancers, will be held nightly throughout the holiday season. The performances will generally start at 5 p.m. and end by 8:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, performances run from 1-8:30 p.m. Location: The Ellipse near The White House The closest metro stations to the White House are Federal Triangle, Metro Center and McPherson Square. Parking is very limited in this area, so public transportation is recommended. However, limited parking is available along Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets after 6:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri and all day on the weekends. This Thursday, I noticed the police closed off a few streets starting at 2:30 pm. As a result, I parked in the George Washington University garage on 19th and E street. I arrived a little before 3pm and left about 7pm and I paid $26...sheeesh!! But overall, this was a liberating experience and one I will never forget. To experience a live taping: witnessed all the ad libs, the missed cues, commercial breaks, and cues when to applaud - it was just great. The only downside during this ticketed event...no vendors were around so we were starving!! We saw a few people with food, but I'm unsure if this is allowed. Nevertheless, don't go on an empty stomach. Again this was my experience during for the 94th Annual National Christmas Lighting (live) ceremony. If you are reading this after Dec. 1st 2016 - you can go during the allotted days/times. Hope you enjoy your time as well!!

    National Christmas Tree Lighting Dec 5, 2019
    Chris C.

    Went to the National Christmas Tree Lighting at the Presidents's Park last night (didn't know before it's a National Park). All in all a fun event with lots of families and little kids. The marine band was great, although the other musical numbers could have been better. The National Parks promotion videos were excellent, definitely make you want to go visit all those parks! The tree itself is impressive in size although the decor's pretty ordinary. Didn't get around to see the model train so might have to go back - it was a nice evening with temps around 40 but still pretty cold the longer you stay out there. Best to bring hand warmers and thermos of hot chocolate for this kind of outdoor event!

    The 2016 tree
    Priscilla Y.

    Review for National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 1, 2016: It was my first National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and I'm glad I got to go before President Barack Obama left office. The tree itself isn't that spectacular, especially if you've seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in NYC, but it was, nonetheless, a wonderful experience seeing the President and all of the performers (Kelly Clarkson, Marc Anthony, Chance the Rapper, Yolanda Adams, etc.). It was definitely worth sitting through the cold. The event is from 5-7pm, but last entry is 4:30pm. Doors open at 3pm, but I got in line around 2:30 and there was already a huge crowd. If you have standing tickets, I'd recommend getting there early to get the best spot possible. Luckily, I got upgraded to seats so I had no issues with the crowd. They have portapotties, but not many. They also do security check before entering. No bags or backpacks allowed, but some people still got through. Purses are allowed though. The tickets to the lighting are free, but given away via lottery system. Check recreation.org in the beginning of October.

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    National Christmas Tree Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - National Christmas Tree

    Is it free?

    Yes, it is free but you must register on the National Park website to get a ticket for the actual lighting ceremony. All other times the tree is open to the public for viewing.

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    Review Highlights - National Christmas Tree

    * The National Christmas Tree is located at "The Ellipse", which is an actual Google location in DC - making getting there much easier.

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    Georgetown Glow Outdoor Light Exhibition - 2018- Run Beyond

    Georgetown Glow Outdoor Light Exhibition

    4.0(12 reviews)
    1.5 miGeorgetown

    Georgetown Glow is free public art with elements to captivate all ages & demographics. It can be…read morepaired with some history or can be enjoyed to captivate your Instagram followers. It is currently in it's fifth year, running from early December to early January. It looks like the installations change every year so there is something new to explore and enjoy. I won't go through every installation that I saw for this reason. There are some really instagramable moments, my favorite in 2018 was definitely Prismatic, but I have a big soft spot for Run Beyond as well. You should definitely plan to get out and explore a lot of the installations, just walking or driving by won't give you the full effect of some of them. Some of them also can't be seen from your vehicle, bundle up and explore! There are also a few that incorporate motion & sound. Here is the biggest "well duh" moment- see these installations after dark. Not during sunset, not at dusk- make sure it is really dark for the full effect. I mean- they are light installations, so maybe that shouldn't even be mentioned. I opted to see Georgetown Glow as part of a tour group (Free Tours by Foot DC) and our tour started almost an hour before sunset so I made a point to revisit the installations we saw early on during the tour- it was definitely worth the trip back to see the earlier installations. I thought taking the walking tour was a great way to see some of the installations and learn more about the history of Georgetown. Our tour guide was excellent, but was definitely a better Georgetown guide vs a Glow guide. She had great historical stories to connect to the themes of the art installations as we walked through Georgetown. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see all of the artwork during this foot tour, but we had plenty of time to explore the ones we did encounter on our tour. I would recommend doing Georgetown Glow both ways, take a tour if that's your thing, but really for the art itself I think you can easily enjoy every installation without the tour aspect and just read the information provided on the website to learn more. It is an outdoor, free, public display so expect that a few of the installations may have technical difficulties. I visited on the second night of the displays and noticed some light vandalism, most likely caused by careless spectators. It didn't take away from the overall effect though. One thing I appreciated is even though this is a December outdoor light exhibit, it wasn't Christmas themed. There is definitely plenty of holiday cheer to enjoy as you explore the city between installations. The art itself focuses on different themes giving you a brief mental break from the holidays.

    I've been going to GLOW since the first edition and I just love it! I like some installations…read morebetter than others but it's a great idea and it's nice seeing people walking around at night in the Winter! It would be nice to have shuttle tours for people who can't walk as much. Maybe the Circulator used to do free rides? I can't remember. DC has so many free events and exhibits and GLOW is one of the best.

    Photos
    Georgetown Glow Outdoor Light Exhibition - 2018 - artistic lighting

    2018 - artistic lighting

    Georgetown Glow Outdoor Light Exhibition - Lightbattle 2019

    Lightbattle 2019

    Georgetown Glow Outdoor Light Exhibition - 2018 - artistic lighting

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    2018 - artistic lighting

    Graffiti Cliffs of Georgetown

    Graffiti Cliffs of Georgetown

    3.9(7 reviews)
    1.9 miGeorgetown

    I like the graffiti cliffs for a multitude of reasons. My main reasoning is it allows me to get an…read moreescape from the hustle and bustle of the city while still being right in the middle of it. Additionally, it offers a great view of Rosslyn, Georgetown, and the Potomac. It is one of those experiences in the city that takes you away while still being present. A couple of downsides to this area is that it can be a bit sketchy and you're best to watch your back when you come up here. On the flip side, they're there for the same purpose that you are - to chill. You leave them alone and you will be left alone. It is easy to access for the most part. Just take the stairs up from the parking below by the kayaks and you'll find yourself on the C & O Trail. Wear good shoes. You will be better off than wearing sandals.

    If you want to see some American Graffiti, this is where you come. Jimmy Cliff and Cliff Richard…read more(ew) like it here too, hence it's named the Graffiti Cliffs. I didn't even know the Graffiti Cliffs of Georgetown even existed (even) until my most recent visit, which is weird because I know everything, lol, and I used to live around here. But it's a must visit. I love it. The views are amazing and the graffiti on all of the cliffs and things around here is awesome. The sometimes strict local police let everything go here, so it's basically just a free artistic place. It's sort of like a tolerance zone for prostitution, but instead, it's art. Although Barbi and I consider some forms of prostitution to be art, too, especially when we do it. So Graffiti. Not as much fun as prostitution but it might be better to look at depending on who the client is. I mean artist. However, I learned that just a few weeks after I visited here, they closed it off. Not even for Coronavirus, but before Corona. Hopefully it'll be opened up again as soon as Coronavirus is over. It better be.

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    Graffiti Cliffs of Georgetown
    Graffiti Cliffs of Georgetown
    Graffiti Cliffs of Georgetown

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    National Christmas Tree - localflavor - Updated May 2026

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